Negros Oriental village chairman dies after allegedly drinking pesticide

MANILA, Philippines — The chairman of Barangay Mabato in Ayungon, Negros Oriental died Tuesday after allegedly drinking pesticide, days after he was invited for questioning over the murder of four police officers on July 18.

Col. Raul Tacaca, provincial director of Negros Oriental police, told INQUIRER.net in a phone interview that Sunny Calderon died at around 11 a.m. in a hospital in Dumaguete City.

Maj. Romel Luga, chief of Ayungon police, also confirmed this information, citing reports from ground officers.

Calderon was earlier found lying on the floor of his house Monday afternoon after allegedly drinking the chemical. He was later brought to the intensive care unit.

Tacaca confirmed Calderon was being investigated on the murder of intelligence officers, reportedly perpetrated by the communist New People’s Army.

The police official, however, said investigators have yet to confirm Calderon’s motive for his alleged suicide or if he had any involvement in the ambush of four officers.

The four officers were believed to be ambushed, then dragged, beaten up, hogtied, and buttstroked by several armed men on their way to the house of a supposed contact to confirm reports of alleged presence of NPA fighters in the area.

READ: 4 cops dead in NPA ambush in Negros Oriental

Investigators said the suspects had assembled villagers to witness the shooting of the victims.

Four counts of murder and a case theft were filed against six of the identified suspects and several John and Jane Does on Friday. Police said one of the suspects had also been arrested. /je